Futures
by static-disturbed
Summary: A different season 5, if some things had happened differently in seasons 3 and 4. An event will bring Brooke Davis back to Tree Hill, and she and Lucas will finally have to put everything on the table. Brucas, Jeyton, Naley. Read full summary inside.
1. On With the Show

**Title:** Futures

**Author:** Static-disturbed

**Rating:** PG for now. If you can watch the show you can read this.

**Summary:** This is my version of season 5, had some things happened differently in seasons 3 and 4. Lucas did make a proposal two years ago, but it was to Brooke. But the answer was still no. Now an event will bring her back to Tree Hill, and bring everything out into the open.

**Couples and eventual couples:** Brucas, Jeyton, Naley, Skevin

**Note:** Some things will be the same, some will be very different. I don't want to over explain anything; you'll figure it out as you read. This chapter doesn't give too much background but will set things in motion. More info about our other favorites will come as the story progresses.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters. I also don't own the chapter titles or story title, which are all song titles in true OTH fashion.

**Futures**

**Chapter 1:**

**On With The Show**

He had always enjoyed driving the winding country roads that led in and out of the residential area of the tiny town. He liked the almost dangerous curves; the tall trees that were so old their branches had grown together into tangled barriers. These were the kind of roads his Mustang was made for, windows down and the perfect song on the radio. He could drive these roads with his eyes closed by now, had been navigating them since he was fifteen with his uncle grinning in the passenger seat of the old tow truck. The familiar roads eventually led him down a block he had visited a million times before.

The big white house didn't look very different than it had when they were sixteen. The sleek, black Mercury Comet was still parked out front. She smiled at him from her spot in a rocking chair on the front porch as he parked. With her bouncy blonde curls and blue eyes she looked the same as always; at least until she stood.

"Well standing was a bad idea," she quipped, attempting to force herself into a standing position.

"No sit back down," he lowered himself into the chair beside her. She had always been so skinny and the weight that came with nine months of pregnancy had been a shock to her tiny frame, making mostly everything she did a struggle during these last few weeks, "I can't have you going into labor or something with me around. I didn't bring any boiling water or towels."

She quirked an eyebrow and shook her head, relaxing back in the chair and resting a hand on her protruding belly.

"So where is the family?" he questioned.

"Jake went to pick Jenny up from her friends house," she explained, "You want something to drink?"

He chuckled.

"Do you mean do I want to go get you something to drink?"

Peyton grinned cheekily.

"You're the best. Iced tea please."

With rolled eyes he rose and entered the house, turning in to the kitchen. As he poured iced tea from the pitcher into a glass he couldn't help but to notice the opened package on the counter top, specifically the return address on the label.

He returned with the glass and a soda for himself.

"Thanks buddy!" she patted his arm enthusiastically as she sipped from her glass before she noticed the somewhat forlorn expression on his face, "Hey what's wrong?"

"Nothing. What'd Brooke send you?"

Peyton nodded knowingly and sighed.

"She sent me some new Clothes over Bros baby stuff. And why don't you just call her or something?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you're obviously still in love with her."

"Can we not have this conversation, again?"

"Lucas," she leaned forward and took his hand, "Everyone is worried about you. You spend all your time at the school, or cooped up in the house writing…"

"Those are my jobs, last time I checked I still had bills to pay so…"

"Luke, you have been hiding ever since whatever happened with Brooke and you've got to stop. And if you still love her then you need to at least tell her so."

He stayed silent for a long time, staring out across the street before he turned to her with a soft, sad smile.

"I asked her to marry me Peyton, and she said no."

"Well excuse me for rolling my eyes," she stared at him pointedly, "But so did your mom, the first time Keith asked her. Do you think that means she didn't love him?"

He didn't answer, instead stared into his lap.

"Luke, I know Brooke, you know Brooke. She just got scared, you just need to show her that there isn't anything to be scared of."

"Look, even if I did… we're different people now. She has her big New York life, there's no room for me in all that."

"She isn't happy Lucas," suddenly Peyton's words were quiet and sad as she glanced down at her own hands, "She tells everyone she is, me and Haley. But when I see her doing those interviews on TV, when we talk on the phone… I can hear it in her voice, her broken heart. And it breaks mine."

"I can't be the one to fix it Peyton, what me and Brooke had is gone. She gave it up."

* * *

Half an hour later after Lucas had driven off Peyton managed to waddle into the kitchen. Jake and Jenny had returned home and her husband had gone up to take a catnap, having planned on heading over to see how their show at TRIC was going for a few hours later in the night.

"Mommy what's for dinner?" Jenny came skidding into the room, a bundle of five-year-old energy; her wavy brunette locks bouncing in their pigtails and socked feet slippery on the tile floor.

"Well, seeing as mommy is too much of a whale to even bend over, we're having pizza again!" Peyton announced with sarcasm that was mostly perceived as genuine happiness by the little girl and Jenny clapped.

"Yay, we never have pizza twice in one week!"

"Well get ready cause it's coming. Pepperoni and extra sauce, the Jenny Jagielski special."

Jenny laughed and carefully climbed up onto the bar stool next to Peyton.

"I don't think you look like a whale," she told her mother quietly with a smile so sincere Peyton felt her already in overdrive hormones start to get the best of her.

"Aw honey," she pulled the little girl into a hug and instantly recoiled, wincing in pain and clenching her knuckles against the counter top "Ow, oh wow ow."

"Mommy what's wrong?"

Peyton forced a smile and tried to speak as calmly as she could.

"Um, ok Jenny I need you to go wake daddy up ok? Tell him it's an emergency."

Jenny instantly did as she was told, dashing out of the room and up the stairs. Peyton tried her best to control her breathing and rubbed her belly softly. Barely a minute later Jake came barreling into the room, Jenny following on his heels.

"What is it, are you okay?" he questioned frantically as he came to a stop.

"It's time," she explained simply, eyes darting towards her stomach. She couldn't help but smile as Jake's panicked face lit up.

"_Time _time?"

"Yes time, like soon time so we need to get going."

"Ok, um, lets go," he grabbed the car keys from the counter and moved towards her. Peyton laughed and held up a hand.

"Babe we have enough time for you to put on some pants."

For the first time Jake looked down at his own bare legs and realized he was only wearing boxer shorts. He gave her a goofy grin that still made her heart skip a beat.

"Right. I'll be back in two seconds and I'll get your bag. Jenny put your sneakers on we have to go!"

As he left the room Jenny glanced down at her own already sneaker clad feet and looked at her mother, rolling her eyes.

* * *

"Aunt Haley!" Jenny launched herself at the woman as soon as she entered the waiting room and Haley swept the small girl into her arms, "We're having a baby!"

"I heard," Haley grinned, shifting the little girl onto her hip and looking into her eyes, "So what do you think? Little brother or little sister?"

"Daddy says it doesn't matter as long as the baby is healthy," Jenny answered matter of factly and then, after a beat, leaned in close to Haley's ear, "But I really hope it's a girl!"

She spotted Lucas several feet away, crammed into a plastic chair that seemed too small for his tall frame and long limbs. They crossed the room and Haley deposited Jenny back in her chair where the little girl quickly went back to reading a Hi Lites magazine.

"How long have you been here?" Haley asked as she sat next to Lucas, reaching absently for a magazine from the table beside her chair.

"Four hours?" he guessed, "It feels like forever."

"Yea, for you. Imagine how long it feels for Peyton. God I was in labor with Jamie for so long. They say your first baby is the hardest," she laughed and Lucas cringed a little bit.

"Birth freaks me out."

"What a boy," she sighed, slapping him playfully on the arm.

"So where is my awesome nephew?"

"Where else? Basketball. I just dropped him off," she flipped through the pages of the magazine, glancing at her watch and making a mental note of when she had to return to the rec center to pick up her son.

"Jamie looked really good out there on Tuesday, he definitely got his uncle's jump sh..."

"Oh my god!" Haley interrupted suddenly, grabbing her purse and digging through it until she produced her cell phone, "I'm such an idiot," she scolded herself quietly and began dialing numbers, excusing herself as she made a phone call. Lucas stared after her in confusion for several seconds before his eyes drifted to the open page of the magazine Haley had been glancing over. Brooke Davis smiled up at him brilliantly from the glossy page.

It was only twenty minutes later when Jake reappeared from the depths of the swinging doors labeled 'Delivery'. He looked worn out but was grinning from ear to ear as he hoisted Jenny into the air then brought her down on his hip.

"Well what is it daddy?" she begged.

"Yea daddy," Haley mimicked excitedly, "What is it?"

"You have a little brother baby," Jake explained simply. All of Jenny's earlier hopes for a baby sister seemed forgotten as she grinned and looked up at her daddy with big excited eyes.

"I can't believe it," she exclaimed, "I have a brother!" she then announced to Haley and Lucas who laughed.

"Are you ready to meet him?" Jake asked, also glancing at his two friends.

"Of course!"

Five hours later the sky outside the window was dark and Peyton's room had grown quiet. The entire Scott clan had gone home hours ago and she had sent Jake home with Jenny only twenty minutes ago when their daughter had started to drift to sleep. Her husband promised to be back first thing in the morning but for now it was just her and her baby boy. She couldn't stop staring down at him in her arms. Everyone said it was too early to really tell but she could already see Jake in his face.

"Oh my God," the breathy whisper from the doorway caught Peyton's attention and she glanced up, her smile stretching even farther as she saw who was now standing at the foot of her bed.

"Brooke!"

The brunette was dressed casually compared to her normal wardrobe in jeans and a black top, her long, shiny hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her big hazel eyes were glazed over with tears and she held a hand over her heart as she approached the mother and newborn son.

"Peyton he's gorgeous," she admonished and Peyton suddenly remembered how much she had missed Brooke's voice in person, how nice it was to talk to her not via text or email. She scooted her body over slightly and gestured towards the bedside with her head. Brooke slipped in beside her and the two girls stared down dreamily at the little boy sleeping peacefully in his mother's arms, Peyton's head falling to her best-friends shoulder in content exhaust. "When Haley called me I got the first flight I could. I had to come see you, and him. What's his name?"

"Garrett. Garret Lawrence Jagielski."

"Oh man he's gonna be a heart breaker. Where is the proud daddy?"

"He just took Jenny home for the night, all the excitement had her dead on her feet. They'll be back in the morning."

"He's got your little angry, emo scowl," Brooke teased happily as Garret wrinkled up his forehead. Peyton giggled and sighed.

"I'm so glad you're here Brooke."

"There isn't anywhere I'd rather be."

"Victoria isn't gonna have a fit?" Peyton questioned, half worried and half amused. Brooke crinkled up her eyebrows.

"Of course she is. But that doesn't matter. What matters right now is being here with you, meeting Garrett."

"I love you Brooke."

Brooke smiled and wrapped an arm around the other girls shoulder, pressing a kiss to the side of her best friends forehead.

"You did good P. Sawyer."

Across town Lucas Scott stood in the hallway of Tree Hill High. He'd been on his way to his office but now he seemed to stand frozen in time as he was assaulted with memories. Many of the important triumphs and tragedies of his life had taken place in this building. Some nights he found himself at that junction outside the library doors, breathing heavy and haunted by what ifs. Other nights he ran drills on the basketball court in the dark, imaging his brother and his best friends beside him. Tonight though his mind was somewhere else, tonight it was with her. He watched his sixteen year old self kiss Brooke Davis by the drinking fountain, her waiting for him after basketball practice, them cutting class together in May of senior year. He could see her dimpled smile greeting him, her tiny hand slipping easily into his own; he could hear her sweet, raspy voice echoing down the empty hall to him,_ "Hey Boyfriend, walk me to class?"_


	2. Places You Have Come to Fear the Most

**Futures**

**Chapter 2:**

**The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most.  
**

The sun was just rising in the distance but even in the dim morning light it was obvious that Tree Hill hadn't changed much at all. Grace street was still lined with the same shops. The stoplight at the corner beside the record store Peyton had drug her to every Tuesday still flickered on green. The same families were still living in the same houses. Nothing had changed at all, except maybe her.

She tucked her hands inside the sleeves of the oversized hoodie; the air was always colder down the by the river. The signatures on the blacktop beneath her sneakers were faded with four years time and weather, but they were still there. Four years ago the world hadn't existed outside Tree Hill to them. They lived for basketball games and after parties. If you had told Raven's cheerleader, student council president Brooke Davis that in four years time she'd be the owner of one of the fastest growing fashion labels in the country, she would have freaked out. Twenty-two year old Brooke Davis would tell her to hang onto her childhood a little bit longer.

New York was beautiful and exciting and everything she had always imagined it would be. The city never stopped; there were no quiet mornings like this, with no cars on the streets and the sun setting over the harbor in a way that could almost take her breath away. She had never really appreciated that growing up. She'd dreamed about New York and L.A and how beautiful they were with their twinkling skylines and bustling streets. But Tree Hill was beautiful too, maybe not in such a showy way. But it was hers, even now.

In the back of her mind she'd always held the knowledge that she wasn't New York City. She loved it sure and she was having a good time there, achieving almost every dream she'd ever had, but it wasn't her. Brooke Davis was always going to be, at the end of the day, small town North Carolina. She had grown up playing under a bridge with her best friend, catching fireflies and dreaming about someday being a Raven's cheerleader. The first time she ever got drunk was at a keg in the woods when Nathan got bumped up to the varsity team freshmen year and the seniors invited him out. Peyton had ridden on the handlebars of his Huffy, Brooke on his back pegs. It had been freezing out but she'd worn a denim skirt anyway, got goose bumps all over her legs and let a boy slip his hand up her shirt for the first time against an Oak tree. She'd learned to speak with no accent from her mother a long time ago, but that twinge of North Carolina was still present in her voice when she got really excited about something. She knew the smell of an old gym floor, the sounds of sneakers against it and the adrenaline of a final buzzer shot better than most girls. She used to sit out here in the dark by the river, watching the only boy to ever take her breath away shooting playground three pointers like every one mattered. He used to walk her home, kiss her like she was in a movie and call her his pretty girl. Tree Hill was who she was. Or maybe it was just who she used to be. She wasn't exactly sure.

"Well if it isn't the heartbreak kid Brooke Davis," the voice startled her and she spun around on her heel, unable to fight her smile as she fell into the open arms.

"It's so good to see you Skills," she told him honestly, pulling back out of the hug. He held a basketball under one arm and was dressed in sweats and a hoodie. If she didn't know any better she'd say he had walked right out of high school.

"Oh please, like I pop into your head while your sitting in that big ass office in the big apple counting your stacks of money," he teased and Brooke rolled her eyes.

"I'm a fashion designer Skills, not a drug lord. And those sneakers on your feet tell me that you know that you do more than pop into my head," she pointed to his feet and he smiled. She might have had a lot of connections and she might have gotten her hands on a pair of the newest edition Nike Dunks before they even hit the shelves. And she might have sent them to her old friend. Somehow the richer you got the more free stuff people wanted to give you. She usually wound up sending her freebies to her friends.

"I been meaning to thank you for these fresh kicks but you know, you kinda hard to get in touch with B."

"Yea, yea I know. But I'm here now so tell me what's been going on in your life. How's Bevin?"

A freight ship was passing slowly in the water behind them, sounding its low horn.

"We're both fly as always. She just started over at Tree Hill Memorial."

"I still can't get over Bevin becoming a nurse, that is so great." She certainly never would have pegged her sweet yet ditzy childhood friend as a future nurse. But a lot of people had changed after high school and Bevin had definitely been one of the ones to thrive in a world without cheerleaders and keg stands.

He beamed proudly.

"I know, my baby the pediatric nurse. Anyway, I've been coaching over at the school with Luke. Trying to whip those kids back into a championship team. You know they completely disgraced our name."

She tried to keep smiling but he picked up on the falter in her expression right away and sighed, throwing his arms up in exasperation.

"Damn you're just as bad as him. Why don't you two just get back together and stop moping around?"

"What makes you think that…"

"Please B. Davis, I cannot take anymore Brucas denial."

Brooke wrinkled up her forehead at the name but didn't answer, just crossed her arms across her chest and sighed.

"It's complicated Skills." There was so much to say about what had happened but she wasn't ready to say any of it.

"Well you know he's on his way here right now to meet me."

"What? Ok I have to go, please don't tell him you saw me okay?" she gripped his hands, put on her best pout.

"You know I can't be lying to my boy. But I guess we can consider this my official thank you for the shoes. Just tell me that you are going to go see him at some point while you're in town?"

"Of course," she promised, mentally crossing her fingers, "I'm just not ready."

"Yea, whatever. Get out of here."

She hugged him quickly once more before turning off the court, shouting a quick "tell Bevin I'll call her" over her shoulder as she made her escape.

* * *

She found herself sitting in Haley's kitchen at the island counter, snacking on carrots from a bag that had a piece of masking tape scribbled with the name 'Chester' sticking to it. It was an expensive house with high ceilings and a built-in-pool in the backyard. Obviously they were doing very well off Nathan's NBA salary, even if he was a rookie. It reminded her a little bit of the house she had grown up in. Except this place felt much more like a home than her parent's house ever had. Haley stood a few feet away doing dishes and chatting over her shoulder. Brooke smiled. Domesticity had always suited Haley so well. She could remember their stint as roommates in high school. The other girl had practically been mothering her, folding her clothes when Brooke forgot and teaching her things like how to load a dishwasher and reminding her to close the cereal boxes all the way. Sometimes she worried though, that Haley was never going to go after her own dreams again. Her brief moment as rockstar-Haley had made things so hard with Nathan for a while that Brooke knew she was scared of admitting she missed it.

'Teacher-Girl' as Brooke had happily re-dubbed her, seeing as Haley was officially now a teacher and no longer just a tutor, had promised that as soon as she finished her 'chores' they could leave for the hospital to go see Peyton and the entire Jagielski clan. Her best friend wasn't being discharged until the next morning but Brooke was anxious to get another look at that little boy, and she hadn't even had a chance to see Jenny or Jake yet. She still couldn't believe that Peyton had given birth yesterday. Weren't they just as cheerleading camp last summer? Sometimes it felt that way.

"So I was getting groceries a few days ago and saw you with that cute actor from that new horror flick on the cover of one of those tabloids," Haley teased.

"Oh God," Brooke groaned, "Don't believe any of that. Victoria sets up those dates and those guys get kicked out of the limo before I even get close to benefiting from the cute company."

"So you haven't had any boyfriends since…"

"Nope. Not like I really have the time, it's all work, work, look gorgeous, work. Not that I'm complaining. Why? I mean has he had you know…girlfriends?" she did her best to put on her 'casual Brooke face', which Peyton always teased looked a lot like 'constipated Brooke face'.

"Nope, perpetually single for two years now," Haley scraped something from a plate with her fingernail and Brooke cringed. Dishes were one chore that definitely still grossed her out. "Well there is Lindsay," she added after a few seconds of thought and Brooke tried to keep an even face despite the twist in her stomach.

"That's a nice name," she forced out, suddenly less hungry.

"She's editing his book. And she's basically been throwing herself at him for a year now but Luke has been playing dumb. I don't know if he's just not into her or if its because he's still in love with you."

"Oh my God," Brooke exclaimed, biting into her carrot angrily, "Why is everyone in this town still obsessed with me and Lucas?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you guys were completely in love for what four years? And then suddenly it's over and nobody is allowed to ask what happened? Even all I know is that he bought an engagement ring before he went to see you in New York and when he got back a day later he was devastated."

Haley's protective streak for Lucas was evident in her voice as she glanced at Brooke with a cocked eyebrow.

"I didn't want to hurt him Hales, ever," she sighed quietly.

"Well you did. And obviously you're hurting too Brooke. You miss him, he misses you. Why don't you just talk to him?" Haley leaned her soapy hands against the sink and stared at her friend, waiting for an answer.

Before Brooke could come up with a response Jamie ran into the room, skidding to a stop by Brooke's chair.

"Aunt Brooke come meet my bunny Chester, he's really fluffy!" he took her hand in his tiny one and pulled.

"Gladly buddy," she squinted at Haley, "Chester's probably the only one in this whole town not going to tell me I'm still in love with L-U-C-A-S."

* * *

"Jamie your room is beyond stylin'. And Chester is the coolest pet I have ever seen," she told him honestly. Chester was a huge bunny and was in fact, very fluffy. She sat cross-legged on Jamie's bed, holding the white bunny in her lap. Jamie was sitting on his knees on the rug, absentmindedly playing with a hot wheels car against the rug. The four year old had short-cropped blonde hair and a wide smile. He looked so much like Lucas it made her heart hurt a little.

"Uncle Skills is scared of him," the four year old laughed and Brooke couldn't help but to do the same.

"Is he really? I'll have to use that piece of information later."

"When are you going back to New York?" Jamie glanced at her with somewhat of a frown and she felt a twinge of guilt. She didn't get to see her Godson nearly as much as she would have liked. It had been almost six months since the last time she'd seen him, when Nathan had been in the city for a meeting with Gatorade and brought his son with him. They'd come by the office and Brooke had devoted an entire hour to giving her guests the grand tour of Clothes over Bros.

"Well, I'm going to stick around for the next week so I can go to Garrett's christening, because I'm his God mother, just like I am yours."

"Is Uncle Luke his God father too?"

"Yea buddy he is," internally Brooke suddenly realized what that fact meant. She and Lucas would need to be together at the church, would need to in fact at least speak sometime with in the next week. She made a mental note to pinch Peyton for that. Wasn't anyone else in this town qualified for Godparent duty besides the two of them?

"Does that make me and Garret God brothers? Since we have the same God parents?" Jamie squinted in confusion.

"I'm not really sure how that works, but he seems like a pretty cool baby."

"It'll be nice to have a boy to play with," Jamie decided and Brooke couldn't get over how cute he was, "I have fun with Jenny and she's my best friend and all but she doesn't like to dig up worms or go fishing."

"Well," Brooke shrugged, "Girls are complicated buddy. You'll figure them out eventually."

"I wouldn't count on that," a new voice announced quietly from the doorway and Brooke felt her breath catch in her throat, the tiny hairs on her arms stand on edge and her heart rate seem to double within seconds. She knew that voice so well, even after all this time. Jamie went bounding across the room.

"Uncle Lucas!" he threw himself into his uncle's arms and Lucas hoisted the little boy up, his eyes however bearing into Brooke's back. She clutched Chester against her body, took a deep, shaky breath and closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer to whoever was listening as she mustered her courage. Finally, she began the slow, hesitant turn towards the door.

* * *

****

Ah! I had to, sorry :) Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews so far. I will be doing my very best to keep this story regularly updated. I already know my ending, its making the middle worth reading thats the hard part. More from more of our favorite characters soon, everyone will be making appearences and some drama besides Brucas will be adressed. Like where's Karen? Is Dan still in jail? Nathan's in the NBA? What about Rachel, whats that skank up to? And speaking of skanks, what happened to Niki? Soon enough children, soon enough.


	3. How Long is Too Long?

**

* * *

**

Futures

**Chapter 3:**

**How Long is Too Long?  
**

She wasn't quite sure that divine intervention came in the form of the devil, but Brooke had never been more thankful to see her mother's name flashing on her caller I.D.

"I have to take this," she stuttered out, bending down and depositing Chester onto the rug. She squeezed past Lucas and Jamie who still stood in the doorway, watching her. She kept her eyes on the ground as she slipped past, her thumb pressing the answer button and bringing her phone to her ear. She could smell his cologne; he still smelled the same.

"Don't yell at me mother," she warned as way of greeting as she took the stairs quickly, too afraid to glance over her shoulder. She could hear the background noise of the office on the other line. Her mother scoffed.

"Oh dear now what reason would I have to yell at you. Besides the fact that you've been missing for two days and we have a company to run!"

"You're yelling," Brooke sighed as she crossed the living room and slipped out the glass French doors that led into the backyard, pulling them shut behind her. "And I did not disappear. I called the office and told Millicent that I would be gone for a few days. Peyton had a baby mother, a little boy, he is so precious…"

"Oh Brooke, I thought you'd finally severed all your ties with that wretched little town. Especially Peyton Sawyer, tragedy follows that girl where ever she goes."

"Were you not listening? Peyton had a baby. What's tragic about that?"

"Everything," her mother replied dryly and Brooke cursed herself for still feeling hurt by the comment. "Brooke honestly, get yourself on a plane as soon as you can and get back here. We have meetings with Macy's and you agreed to an interview with CosmoGirl weeks ago."

"You go to the Macy's meetings, its not like you ever let me say anything anyway. And I'll call CosmoGirl and tell them we need to do the interview by phone. I don't think it'll be a problem. I need to stay here until the end of the week."

"Brooke Penelope Davis this is unacceptable. I am telling you to get your size five ass to the airport right now and…"

The phone hit the water with a satisfying splash and Brooke took a deep breath as she watched it slowly sink to the bottom of the swimming pool.

"Bitchy customer?" he startled her yet again and she let out a small noise of surprise as she faced him, hand on her heart. He was standing at the top of the stone stairs, hands in the pockets of his jeans. His hair was short and a dark, rusty blonde color like it had been a long time ago when they were younger. He wore a dark navy polo with 'Coach Scott' embellished across his heart and a whistle hung around his neck. His arms looked stronger and his jaw more defined than she could ever remember them looking before. Authority looked good on him she decided. _Really good_. Her tongue suddenly felt too big for her mouth and her hands were fidgeting nervously.

"No," she managed, "Bitchy mom, like always."

He smiled, that brilliant Lucas Scott smile. She bit her lip.

"It's good to see you Brooke."

"You too. It's been…forever."

"Two years," he agreed.

There was a long moment of silence.

"So how about Peyton?" she asked dumbly, quickly kicking herself inside her head.

"Yea, her and Jake are so happy. Jenny too."

"I'm so happy for them," she pushed her bangs from her forehead and tried to control the tears she could feel building behind her eyes for some reason, "They really deserve to be happy, after everything they've all been through."

"Yea," he agreed, "they do. Look Brooke," he took a few step towards her, "I want us to be friends ok? I don't want things to be weird while you're in town."

"Uh yea," she forced a smile, that clueless Brooke Davis grin she'd perfected at fourteen, "Totally. Friends."

He was staring at her, watching her with those pensive eyes. Words seemed stuck on his tongue but Jamie's head popped out of the door drawing his attention away.

"Uncle Luke, we're going to be late for practice!"

"I'll be right there Jluke," he turned back to Brooke. "So, see you later friend?"

"Yea," she laughed a little, "Bye friend."

As she watched his retreating back a tiny voice in her brain scoffed. _Yea right, 'friends'._

* * *

The two women eventually made it to the hospital, Brooke insisting beneath her breathe the entire drive over that Haley had set her up. Haley ignored her with rolled eyes as they found Peyton's hospital room. Brooke sat at the foot of the bed and Haley in a chair beside it.

Peyton had long since changed out of her hospital gown and into her own sweat pants and an old Jimmy Eat World t-shirt she'd dug out of the closet. Her blonde locks were pulled back into a ponytail. Brooke was a little bit disappointed that Jenny was spending the day with Jake's parents.

"So Brooke and Lucas talked," Haley announced with a small grin as she stared down at the infant in her arms. Peyton's eyebrows shot up to her hairline and she looked to her best friend who was waiting patiently for it to be her turn to hold the baby again.

"I want details right now Davis."

"There aren't any details to tell. We talked for about ten seconds during which he told me he wants us to be friends and things to not be weird while I'm in town."

"Oh my God," Peyton threw her head against the pillow and pointed at Haley, "You know he's your best-friend. I think at some point your going to have to sit him down and explain to the boy that he has a serious problem with denial."

Haley laughed and Brooke glared.

"You two really need to knock it off. I came to town to see you P.Sawyer, Lucas Scott is the last thing on my mind. Let's stop acting like cheerleaders and start acting like grown ups."

Haley looked at Peyton and giggled.

"I guess denial is contagious."

Brooke was searching for a rebuttal when Jake came striding back into the room holding a coffee.

"Look who I found," he gestured over his shoulder just as Nathan came into the room. The tall, dark haired Scott brother knelt down to kiss his wife and smiled at the baby boy in her arms. He glanced up at Peyton with a smile.

"Wow Sawyer, I didn't know you had it in you."

Peyton stuck her tongue at him and then returned the hug he pulled her into. "No really, he's beautiful you guys." Nathan looked back and forth between her and Jake and his eyes suddenly seemed to fall on the other woman in the room. "Brooke Davis? In Tree Hill? I must be seeing things."

"You know, if I had known I was going to take all this abuse I would have stayed in New York," she joked, hugging her old friend. "What's the deal Scott? I thought you were on the road all the time?"

"We've got a week of home games," Nathan explained, "It's only a 45 minute drive out to the stadium." He turned to his wife who was gesturing for Brooke to take her turn with the baby. "Where's Jamie?"

"Lucas took him to practice."

"I think I'm gonna head over there. I have to show Lucas this, I saw it in the mail when I went home to drop my stuff off," he handed Haley the letter after Brooke had taken Garret into her arms. Haley quickly scanned the words, her face twisting in shock.

"They are considering giving Dan parole?"

Every one in the room gasped and Nathan nodded.

"I know, I didn't believe it either. But If there's one thing Dan is good at it's brainwashing people."

"They cannot let him out," Brooke insisted, "He murdered Keith."

"People get parole hearings all the time," Peyton soothed, "Ian Banks just started making requests too," Jake's hand fell to her shoulder, "That doesn't mean they'll let him out, it just means they've granted him an opportunity to speak."

"That's the problem," Nathan sighed, "Dan's a really good speaker. This is gonna be hard on Karen," during their college years Karen had become like an unofficial grandparent to Jamie. She had talked Nathan and Haley though many late night colic fits and first colds. In many ways she'd also become a parent figure to Nathan in replace of what he was missing, like she done for many of the young people sitting in the hospital room. "It's gonna be really hard on Luke too."

Brooke stared down at the cooing baby in her arms. Nathan was right. It had taken Lucas a long time to come to terms with everything that had happened and once he'd found his closure he'd vowed not to think about Dan, declared that the man was dead to him. This wasn't going to be pretty.

"Ok well I'm gonna head over to the school, try to deal with this. I'll be home later," Nathan kissed the top of Haley's head and shook hands with Jake.

"Really you guys, congratulations. See ya later Brooke?"

"Well I'm staying in your house, so I hope so."

He grinned.

"Alright, bye guys."

* * *

The sounds of basketballs on a gym floor had become almost a constant background noise in both men's lives. They stood off to the side of the gym, Nathan watching his brother's face as he read the letter.

"This is ridiculous," Lucas nearly growled, "He'd a cold blooded killer."

"I know," Nathan agreed quietly, "But at least we're prepared. The hearing is a day that I'll be in town, which is good. We can both go together. We'll tell them everything, every way he's ever hurt us, our moms, everyone we love."

"You think that'll be enough?" Lucas questioned. Nathan grasped his brother's shoulder and smiled.

"Were an unbeatable duo Lucas, or have you forgotten?"

Lucas grinned and his younger brother continued.

"Remember what you said? Dan had control over us from the time we were born up until four years ago. And look how great we've done. He doesn't deserve to be a part of any of our success," Nathan's gaze traveled acorss the gym where his son was standing by Skills side, watching the players with excited eyes as they ran drills. Lucas nodded, eyes set hard in agreement,

"We've got control now."

* * *

The familiar bell above his head sounded as Lucas entered the café. His mother glanced up at him and smiled from her spot behind the counter like she must have done thousands of times through out the course of his life. Things were different now of course. Once upon a time she wouldn't have looked so alone. Haley might have been darting around, staying still only long enough only to drop some sarcastic joke in his direction. And that stool at the counter would have been occupied. The air would have smelled just slightly of mechanics grease.

"Want some dinner coach?" she asked, pouring him a glass of iced tea. She was always trying to give him alternatives to the coffee he seemed to be living off of lately, _"its not good for you, and it'll stain your teeth.' _The threats of stunted growth hadn't been affective since ninth grade.

"Thanks mom," he sipped the tea and glanced around. There was an older couple finishing off their bowls of soup in the corner and a few high school kids eating French fries and studying in the other. It was almost time for closing but he knew she wouldn't kick them out. She'd sit and she'd wait until they were finished. Over the course of four years she had started spending more and more time in the Café. She stayed open longer hours, even when the tables were empty. The café still held most of her favorite memories and there wasn't much to go home to but silence most nights with Lucas keeping his own apartment. He'd wanted to get out of her hair after twenty-two years of crowding her. Now he wasn't so sure if he'd made the right choice.

"So how are the boys looking?" she asked as she went about making him a tuna sandwich.

"They get a little better every practice, they're really starting to become a well oiled machine. It really is great that they're almost all freshmen and sophomores because we can really build a team. I wouldn't doubt that by most of their senior year we're back to being champions."

She smiled. Initially he'd been discouraged to find that most of his players were so young, so inexperienced. But he was Lucas; he knew how to find a silver lining.

"I'm sure. So what else is new?"

He stared at his plate for a long while.

"Brooke's in town."

"Really? Have you seen her?" she was slicing a few slices of tomato but questioned him over her shoulder.

"Yea, today at Haley's actually."

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly. He stared off thoughtfully for a while but shrugged and offered a smile.

"Yea, we talked, decided to be friends."

"Well that's good," she patted her hands across a towel and slid him his sandwich.

"Ma…" he ran a hand through his hair, "I was talking to Peyton and she… she reminded me about you and Keith," he waited to watch her reaction, gauging if he was delving too far but she smiled encouragingly and he continued, "She reminded me about the first time he asked you to marry him. And how you said no."

"Well I was scared," she sighed, "And I was in denial of my own feelings."

"But you loved him, even then?"

"Of course. I think I always did love him all those years. Love can be a scary thing though, especially when you've been burned so badly in the past," she stared for a second, "And you're thinking that maybe you still have feelings for Brooke, more than friendship?"

"I don't know Ma'. It's just… I just convinced myself not to think about her you know? And then she comes back and she's so…" he searched for the right word.

"Brooke," his mother finished with a knowing smile and he sighed.

"Yea. And Peyton got me all crazy telling me that Brooke isn't happy and that she was just scared when she said no to me and its got my head all foggy," he poked around at his sandwich, "Trying to interpret Brooke Davis, I feel like a kid again."

"Oh sheesh," she shook her head, "If you're not a kid anymore than what does that make me? A dinosaur?" He laughed and Karen took his hand, "Lucas if you think that you're meant to be with Brooke, if you think she's the person you want forever with, then you should fight for it. Don't let a lifetime of denials pass you by only to admit your true feelings too late." He smiled up at her sadly and then something else flashed in his eyes. Suddenly it was his hand holding hers.

"Ma' there's something else I have to tell you ok?"

"What? What is it?"

"You probably haven't seen the mail yet today and neither have I but Nate came to see me earlier. He showed me a letter he just got. They've granted Dan a parole hearing."

Her face contorted angrily and then almost as fast smoothed into sadness. He squeezed her hand. She still wore the engagement ring Keith had slipped onto her finger.

"It's just a hearing mom, it doesn't mean they're going to grant it to him, it just means they're gonna listen to what he has to say. Don't worry though, me and Nate are gonna go and we're gonna talk and once they hear what we've got to say, once they hear everything he put us through there isn't a chance in hell they'll let him out. We won't let that happen."

She nodded, forced a smile onto her face for his sake. She never wanted him to worry.

"Of course not, there isn't anybody in their right mind who would let Dan Scott walk free again." He patted her hand.

"Right. Do you want me to stay after I've finished? Help you close up?"

She turned away from him.

"No that's ok honey," she stared down at the ring on her finger, "I think I'm going to stay open a little later tonight."

* * *

**I know, I'm a jerk for taking Keith from Karen and not giving her Lily or Andy. I guess I just wanted to make her more tragic, more of a reminder that love can be taken away at any second and leave you feeling empty. I'm a jerk. I promise big Brucas confrontations are coming very soon. I will do my best to have chapter 4 up this week, I have a final Wednesday and Thursday and then I'm done with my semester, so I'll have plenty of time. Peace. Thanks for the great reviews last chapter!**


	4. Method Acting

* * *

**Futures**

**Chapter 4:**

**Method Acting**

The house was alive with voices and laughter; what had started off as a few people coming over to see Garret had grown into a full-fledged gathering in Peyton and Jake's home. Brooke could hear their voices drifting from the kitchen into her secluded spot in the living room. They were watching Nathan's basketball game on television, cheering and clapping. She had drifted away from the group. Their conversations kept drifting back to Lucas, who wasn't present. They were worried about him. She could hear the silent accusation directed towards her in their voices.

Garret was sleeping in her arms. She had taken him from Peyton when the young mother excused herself to go check on Jenny who was asleep upstairs. Brooke spoke softly to her godson.

"You know you're a lucky kid little Jagielski, because you have got the best mom any little boy could ask for," she smiled as his forehead wrinkled slightly in his sleep, "And you're dad is just about the sweetest guy to ever come out of this place. Plus I've totally got this god mother thing on lock down."

She felt a tinge of guilt. In a couple days time she'd be headed back to New York. She had no idea when she would see Garrett again. When she would see Peyton, Haley, Jamie and all of the people she spent her days missing.

Her eyes drifted towards the other room where her friends, well they had been her friends once, were gathered. She felt terribly disconnected from all of them and their lives. She barely had time to email Peyton and Haley. She didn't have time for friends, no time for fun. What was it they had promised each other at the river court four years ago? "_We're always going to be friends."_ Maybe that had been unrealistic.

"Hey Brooke did Peyton come downstairs yet?" Jake leaned into the room, his eyes on the staircase with a hint of concern.

"Not yet," she answered and then gestured to Garret with her chin, "Why don't you take him and I'll go find the new mom."

He smiled and took several steps towards her before lifting his son from her arms. Brooke watched in delight as his face lit up as he stared down at the infant. She placed a hand on his arm.

"I'm really happy for you guys. You really deserve it."

She turned towards the stairs and Jake stopped her with his voice, that small familiar smile playing on his lips.

"You deserve it too Brooke."

* * *

Not much had changed in what she had always known as the Sawyer home, what had really always been her home too when she thought about it. At their youngest the two girls had spent hours in the backyard, skinning their knees practicing their tumbles and then plopping down in the living room; Brooke painting her nails while Peyton, even at twelve, complained about the lack of good music on MTV. That hadn't stopped them from learning all the choreography to every Nsync and Spice Girls video. Once high school came though, Peyton's bedroom became their sanctuary. It was where they talked about boys, held each other through hard times, where they fought but always made up.

The room was different now. The reds and blacks of Peyton's angst ridden adolescence were now replaced with a soft green and a complementing pink on the woodwork. The drawings Brooke had always called 'creepy' but never really felt that way about were gone. There was a hand painted toy chest, a learner's acoustic guitar. A mural of a peaceful, cloud filled sky stretched across the wall above Jenny's sleeping bed. Peyton was sitting against the wall on the far side of the room, contemplative as she watched her daughter sleep. Brooke slid down beside her.

"It's kinda weird that this isn't your room anymore," she observed in a half whisper and Peyton smiled softly.

"This room meant a lot to me growing up, I want it to be the same for her you know? A place to always feel safe."

Brooke could remember the moment when Peyton had confided in her that she and Jake were engaged. It was just weeks after the school shooting, the blonde still walked with the slightest limp and they were celebrating Nathan and Haley's second engagement. Peyton's eyes had been dancing with happiness as she explained to her best friend that she was going to finish up senior year, at Jake's insistence, and then she'd be moving to Savannah to be with him and Jenny. It was the happiest Brooke had seen her friend since they were children. It had been half a year later when she'd gotten the phone call from Peyton. _"Niki gave up her parental rights Brooke. She just showed up here and told us that she was sorry for everything and that she wasn't cut out for motherhood. I'm going to be Jenny's mom Brooke, I'm really going to be her mom."_

In between the two moments of joy there had been Ian Banks, who had almost ruined any chance Peyton would ever have at happiness. He had been an Internet stalker posing as a long lost brother. Peyton had embraced him initially; glad to have a distraction from the time away from Jake. And then Ian had gotten scary. When they figured out that he wasn't Peyton's brother at all, but instead an obsessive fan of her website Peyton had gotten on a plane to Savannah. She hadn't known she was being watched. Brooke still wasn't exactly sure of all the details. She just knew that in the end Ian had become one of the few people to feel the wrath of Jake Jagielski at his angriest.

Peyton deserved the amazing life she finally had, the chance to just be happy for once.

"You're a good mom Peyton."

The blonde glanced at her with worried eyes.

"Do you really think that? Am I actually ok at this?"

"You're more than okay," Brooke assured taking her friend's hand.

Peyton stared down at their interlocked fingers before glancing up at Brooke, the insecurities that had showed so rarely in the past several years making an appearance in her eyes.

"I just get scared you know. Do you remember when I found out about Ellie? How mad I was at my dad? I know that Niki gave up her parental rights but I also know that I would never really be able to stay away from my babies. I'm terrified that she is going to show up one day and Jenny is going to look at me the way I looked at my dad," Peyton's eyes began to glaze over with tears, "God Brooke I don't ever want either of my kids to feel an ounce of the confusion and anger I felt. I don't ever want Jenny to look at me and not see me as her mom."

"Peyton that's never going to happen, trust me. I have seen the way Jenny looks at you, like you have the power to fix any problem the world might throw her way. And I've seen the way you look at her, and let me tell you I would have done anything for my mom to look at me like that when I was growing up. That is enough, it always will be."

Peyton sniffled through her tears and Brooke dabbed at them with the sleeve of her shirt before smiling.

"And besides, if one day she paints her walls black, locks herself in her room, decides to open a night club or starts dating a guy with a baby, I think you're prepared."

Peyton giggled quietly,

"I missed you Brooke."

"Miss you everyday P. But do you mind if I duck our early? There's someone I have to talk to."

* * *

_"And with his 9th three of the night Scott is all but going to mark the W on the scorecard for the Cougars. The buzzer will wind down now as the North Carolina fans celebrate the sixth consecutive win for their new NBA franchise,"_

In the background, a buzzer sounded and thousands of fans erupted into applause and cheering. They donned Scott jerseys and praised their hometown boy for bringing basketball back to North Carolina. The new Cougars franchise had made it their mission to have an authentic hometown team. Drafting a local hero like Nathan right out of college had guaranteed fans in the stands. They'd even hired a young, fresh announcer, also a local boy. Their method was working. The team was selling out and winning games. People liked it when their team actually represented them.

Some miles away Lucas Scott sat behind a creaky wooden desk and imagined what his brother was feeling at that very second, what it felt like to really be there.

_" Alright folks this is Mouth Mcfarland signing off for the still undefeated Charlotte Cougars. Stay tuned for the post show and enjoy your night."_

Lucas switched off the black transistor radio that sat on the edge of his desk and shook his head clear of his thoughts. The sudden disappearance of cheering crowds, sneakers squeaking against wood and Mouth's familiar voice made the quiet of the school all that more evident. He was alone in the building; even the janitors had gone home at this hour.

The health tests on his desk still sat mostly unmarked. Coaching came hand in hand with teaching and while Lucas had gotten his certification in college, he wasn't exactly enthusiastic about being in charge of a health class.

Instead of focusing on them he stared around the office that he still thought of as Whitey's. There had been several temporary coaches that had managed to mangle the Ravens good name during the years he was away at college but this office had never really belonged to any of them. Lucas still didn't feel like it belonged to him; he still felt like he was sitting on the wrong side of the desk.

The team photo of the championship Ravens hung on his wall, their trophy perched in front of them. Beside it hung the photo from he and Nathan's first championship at Gilmore, where Whitey had taught Lucas what it meant to be a coach.

There were more photos, staring at him from across the desk. The oldest was from his high school graduation. Himself, Nathan, Haley, Peyton, Brooke, Mouth and Skills stood in their gowns before the ceremony, arms draped around each other's shoulders. He couldn't help but smile at how naive they had been. None of them had any idea how things were going to turn out, no idea who they were going to be. Another frame held a picture of Jamie in his peewee league basketball uniform. There was another of himself and Nathan on his brother's wedding day, their arms around one another's shoulders and the connecting frame held a photo of him and Haley, when they were only fourteen, making faces into the camera.

He wasn't sure if he had drifted too far down memory lane or if she was really there when Brooke appeared in the threshold of the office, a nervous smile playing on her beautiful face.

"I was hoping we could talk coach," she suggested quietly and he forced himself to sit up from his slouched posture and gestured to the chair across from him. She was wearing a black skirt and green top under a cropped cardigan that she smoothed anxiously as she sat.

"If this is about new cheerleading uniforms I have no control over those expenses Ms. Davis," he teased easily, trying to lift the awkward air between them and she smiled. He tried not to let it show as his breath caught in his throat.

"So everyone was at Peyton and Jake's. We missed you," she stated in her husky voice with a quirked eyebrow, "But now that I'm here I totally get it. Who wouldn't pass up hanging with their friends to sit in a dark, creepy office all alone?"

He laughed and shook his head. He couldn't come right out and tell her that he hadn't been there because she had. Because saying they were friends didn't make seeing her any easier.

"I'm marking quizzes that I should have handed back a week ago."

She reached across the desk and snatched one of the papers away, chuckling as her eyes scanned it.

"Sex Ed huh?" her eyes were amused and just a hint mischievous as she spoke, "From what I remember, the kids at THS could have taught the teachers a thing or two about sex ed." She replaced the quiz and then looked at him seriously, "Everyone is worried about you Luke."

"Ahh," he placed his hands behind his head and glanced towards the ceiling, "They worry too much."

"Haley maybe worries too much. Skills never worries and tonight he told me that he thinks you spend too much time alone."

"I have always spent a lot of time alone," he reminded, "I'm broody remember?"

The reference to her old nickname for him sent her mind fumbling, for some reason causing a sting of pain in her chest.

"Yea," she admitted quietly but shook her head, "Look I've seen you push people away before when something was going on in here," she pointed to her heart, "I don't want to see that happen again."

"Yea well," his voice held a tinge of bitterness as he sat forward, "I got burned pretty bad."

She stared back at him hard, trying not to let her eyes betray her strong front.

"You know that I'm sorry Lucas. I'm sorry everyday for hurting you, but do not think for one second that I didn't hurt or that I still don't, but you don't know everything…"

"Ok can we not do this," he held up a hand, "You didn't want to marry me Brooke, it isn't that hard to comprehend."

"Stop it," she felt her teeth gritting together with anger, "Stop acting like you know everything and stop acting like you didn't catch me completely off guard and that your entire proposal wasn't fueled by fear."

"Fear? And here I thought I did it out of love!" he shouted incredulously, throwing his hands into the air and then pointing a finger at her, "Face that facts Brooke, you were the scared one. You could never really trust me. You said no to me because you were still holding a mistake I made when I was sixteen over my head!"

"Don't," she hissed, closing her eyes and willing away tears, "You're right that I can't ever think about that time without feeling like someone is stabbing me in the heart. But you are wrong if you think I didn't trust you. I trusted you more than I have ever trusted anyone in my life Lucas and you didn't even deserve it. You proposed to me because you were scared of losing me, because whether you want to admit it or not you still hurt in your heart all the time because your father left you, and because you lost Keith and you were scared that I was going to abandon you too."

He shook his head angrily.

"So Brooke Davis is a psychologist now? I didn't know fashion majors took heavy classes like that."

"I'm not going to do this," she reached for her purse and stood, her voice even raspier than usual with tears, "I'm not going to sit here and let you use me as a verbal punching bag because you don't want to accept the truth. And there are things you don't know Lucas, so stop judging me."

She turned and marched out of the office leaving Lucas once again left alone in his empty office, his head buried in his hands.

* * *

**Ok you guys, don't kill me. I know it's been forever. A billion and one things decided to happen at once. I promise this story will be finished. So I really hope this chapter doesn't completely suck. There should be about 4 or 5 more chapters going by my original outline, but that could grow. We'll see. Finally some Brucas confrontation, what do you think?**


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